occurrence
Americannoun
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the action, fact, or instance of occurring.
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something that happens; event; incident.
We were delayed by several unexpected occurrences.
- Synonyms:
- circumstance
noun
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something that occurs; a happening; event
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the act or an instance of occurring
a crime of frequent occurrence
Related Words
See event.
Other Word Forms
- occurrent adjective
- preoccurrence noun
- reoccurrence noun
Etymology
Origin of occurrence
1530–40; < Latin occurrent-, stem of occurrēns (present participle of occurrere “to run up to, run to meet”), from oc- (variant of ob- ; see ob- ( def. )) + currere “to run” + -ence; compare Medieval Latin occurrentia
Explanation
An occurrence is an instance of something or a time when something happens. If you get migraines, the doctor might ask how many occurrences of the headache you have in a month. An occurrence is an instance of something that happens repeatedly. The occurrence of Lyme disease is more frequent in New England than it is in other parts of the country. As soon as authorities see an occurrence of rabies, they send warnings out to people who live in the area. Sometimes though, an occurrence is a single event or an incident. If you and your friend saw a ghost in the cemetery, that would be quite an occurrence!
Vocabulary lists containing occurrence
Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They point out that pasteurized milk has also been linked to outbreaks, although many scientists say raw milk is associated with a higher occurrence of foodborne illnesses.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
Watching the index break back above both trend lines on the same day is a pretty rare occurrence, according to a team of market strategists at Bespoke Investment Group.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
The S&P 500 has spent 10 consecutive trading days below its 200-day moving average, a rare occurrence not seen in 20 years.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
But it’s becoming a delightfully frequent occurrence that Small learns after the fact that her music is featured prominently in a movie or television show.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Hera knew perfectly well that there was a reason for this odd occurrence, and instantly suspected her husband.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
